This is obviously only anecdotal evidence, but when talking about Macs with my friends there are a good 4 or 5 PC users who come to mind who said "I don't want a mac mini or an iMac, I really wish they would come out with a smaller desktop machine".
Of course this might cannibalize the iMac market, which is probably the biggest reason why it isn't going to happen anytime soon.
I think there is a certain expectation among PC users of having desktop computers of all shapes and sizes available to them. This is to say that since they've always had a (PC) desktop, they assume they wan't or need one if they switch to Apple. This was certainly the case with me when I switched over from the PC. Though I did tinker occasionally, upgrading sound and video cards etc..., I found that I really didn't need to anymore and was perfectly happy with the Mac I switched to. Obviously, this doesn't apply to the tinkerers and (forgive the expression) geeks, but for most users, the selection of laptops and iMacs that are available are more than enough.
My anecdotal experience, I've never heard anyone out in the world request an xMac. Most people I know only use desktops at work, most people's personal machines are notebooks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Drow_Swordsman
This is obviously only anecdotal evidence, but when talking about Macs with my friends there are a good 4 or 5 PC users who come to mind who said "I don't want a mac mini or an iMac, I really wish they would come out with a smaller desktop machine".
Of course this might cannibalize the iMac market, which is probably the biggest reason why it isn't going to happen anytime soon.
As good as these machines are, I doubt that they will do much to increase sales for the industry as a whole (maybe just for apple) as it seems that most PC users are now firmly entranched in their NETboxes that run XP and can't play a cd and have screens the size of an iPhone, and are dirt cheap. (Net desktops of course can come with any size screen)
If these trends continue there won't be much of a desktop industry left, aside from maybe geeks and AutoCaders.
What? My 13" MBP runs fairly cool. If you want to see a laptop that ran hot look at the late 2006 MacBook with a 2Ghz processor. The fan always ran at 6k RPM if I did anything that required a little power.
Edit: I expect 1080p to be in the pipeline and I don't know if the current boxes can handle it. Maybe you will get a nice firmware update with new services, who knows. I just think that Apple is going to go after the living room now with some real vigor.
I do not believe it can do 1080p, at least according what I have read on enthusiast sites. My current htpc is a macmini with a 1.86 Coreduo and 2 gigs of ram and it has a difficult time playing most but not all 1080p files.
I do like the atv, and having onboard storage is a point in its favor, but it's limited codec support and inability to handle 1080 video makes it less of a value to me.
As good as these machines are, I doubt that they will do much to increase sales for the industry as a whole (maybe just for apple) as it seems that most PC users are now firmly entranched in their NETboxes that run XP and can't play a cd and have screens the size of an iPhone, and are dirt cheap. (Net desktops of course can come with any size screen)
If these trends continue there won't be much of a desktop industry left, aside from maybe geeks and AutoCaders.
Yes! I think that the next big thing to motivate buyers of all stripes will be the Tablet. I hope it gets announced soon for delivery by XMAS, and interfaces with the new iMacs as a co-peripheral (each is a peripheral to the other).
Mmmm... the biggest shopping day of the year, historically, is the Saturday after Thanksgiving-- November 28, this year.
I believe the Saturday preceding Christmas is actually the biggest shopping day of the year, at least in terms of sales, if not also bodies through the doors.
I also question how long the apparent preference for laptops will continue. Mine has sat at home nearly 100% of the time, and since I got an iPhone, completely 100% of the time. (Of course, if work provided me with a MBP, that might be different.) My next system will very likely be a 27" iMac because it doesn't seem to make sense to pay more for a much smaller screen, slower CPU, smaller HD, less RAM, and a portability that I'm unlikely to use, especially with a computer that fits in my pocket and doesn't require me to haul it around in its own bag. (And, of course, I'll still have the old one should I ever really need it.) Maybe my thoughts on this are completely at odds with most of the buying public, but I can't help wondering what the "next" system will be for all the people who are buying laptops (Mac and non-Mac) now.
I find it difficult to understand why notebooks are taking over the market when many of them never leave the house.
It seems even more strange for enterprises to equip everyone with a notebook when most employees never leave their desks except for food and smoke breaks. Surely most admin staff would be more efficient with larger displays and full size keyboards at correct ergonomic heights.
Most organizations can't be too concerned about security either because notebooks get stolen from both inside and outside their premises far more often desktops ever did. Data loss is usually far worse than the loss of the equipment itself.
At my company people in supervisory roles are issued notebooks, but everyone else gets an iMac or mini. Most staff need nothing more than a pen and notebook at meetings and aren't permitted to take any equipment out of the office.
The growing prevalence of smartphones may slow the trend toward notebooks because people will have all the portable capabilities they need in the palm of their hand. I certainly consider a desktop plus a handheld the best possible combination for me.
I'd buy a small desktop, something like a modern day Cube, because I like to choose my screen. Up till now that's been CRTs but I understand that with IPS flat screens have just about caught up with 10 year old CRT tech, other than spending 15K on a top end Eizo.
I need a new Mac and I guess it'll have to be a mini, I'm also considering a MacBook running like a mini with KVM. iMacs would be more of an option if the screens were able to be used independently, yes the new top end can and it's about time but it's the only one. My experience is that screens last about twice as long as computers, this being typed with a 12 year old Apple display (with Trinitron screen) whilst awaiting a delivery of a (shudder) Dell IPS flat screen, two other ancient but excellent CRTs having expired recently.
Also need a KB with numeric pad, buy a lot online, always typing CC numbers, SKU, DOB, telephone :-)
I don't see a Cube being limited to desktop applications, HTPC and server come to mind. I think Apple's new mini server was a well judged move and will gain traction but that's a smaller market than that I envisage with a cube. I also see more new Cube users than cannibalization of existing products plus upselling from minis..
And as anonymouse said earlier, as portables get smaller (iPhones) and laptops mostly stay sat on the desk at home maybe the desktop has a revival in store.
At this price point, with the Magic Mouse and the wireless keyboard, the iMac is more and more starting to look like a computing tv replacement...
If there's a future for the iMac, that's it. In the living room instead of your desk Problem is its currently missing the TV part. Add a TV tuner and some HDMI inputs and would sell like hotcakes.
Comments
This is obviously only anecdotal evidence, but when talking about Macs with my friends there are a good 4 or 5 PC users who come to mind who said "I don't want a mac mini or an iMac, I really wish they would come out with a smaller desktop machine".
Of course this might cannibalize the iMac market, which is probably the biggest reason why it isn't going to happen anytime soon.
I think there is a certain expectation among PC users of having desktop computers of all shapes and sizes available to them. This is to say that since they've always had a (PC) desktop, they assume they wan't or need one if they switch to Apple. This was certainly the case with me when I switched over from the PC. Though I did tinker occasionally, upgrading sound and video cards etc..., I found that I really didn't need to anymore and was perfectly happy with the Mac I switched to. Obviously, this doesn't apply to the tinkerers and (forgive the expression) geeks, but for most users, the selection of laptops and iMacs that are available are more than enough.
This is obviously only anecdotal evidence, but when talking about Macs with my friends there are a good 4 or 5 PC users who come to mind who said "I don't want a mac mini or an iMac, I really wish they would come out with a smaller desktop machine".
Of course this might cannibalize the iMac market, which is probably the biggest reason why it isn't going to happen anytime soon.
Mmmm... the biggest shopping day of the year, historically, is the Saturday after Thanksgiving-- November 28, this year.
I always thought it was "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving.
If these trends continue there won't be much of a desktop industry left, aside from maybe geeks and AutoCaders.
So I shouldn't throw out my AppleTV just yet?
No- just use as a space heater, winter's coming.
I always thought it was "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving.
Not at the Apple Stores where it's is a mob scene- every day!
I always thought it was "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving.
A Black Friday sale at Apple is like a chunk of black coal anyway. What- they reduce by like 5 dollars!
I always thought it was "Black Friday", the day after Thanksgiving.
"Black Friday".... yeah, probably, but "POETS" day (Piss ON Everything, Tomorrow's Saturday), is more fun!
*
the mbp's are very hot right now
What? My 13" MBP runs fairly cool. If you want to see a laptop that ran hot look at the late 2006 MacBook with a 2Ghz processor. The fan always ran at 6k RPM if I did anything that required a little power.
Apple will probably make you buy a new one
So true.
Edit: I expect 1080p to be in the pipeline and I don't know if the current boxes can handle it. Maybe you will get a nice firmware update with new services, who knows. I just think that Apple is going to go after the living room now with some real vigor.
I do not believe it can do 1080p, at least according what I have read on enthusiast sites. My current htpc is a macmini with a 1.86 Coreduo and 2 gigs of ram and it has a difficult time playing most but not all 1080p files.
I was thinking about getting an atv for use in another room but I am now considering this. http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=735
I do like the atv, and having onboard storage is a point in its favor, but it's limited codec support and inability to handle 1080 video makes it less of a value to me.
"Black Friday".... yeah, probably, but "POETS" day (Piss ON Everything, Tomorrow's Saturday), is more fun!
At least you have a lower likelihood of being trampled. Don't want to end up on one of those "when shoppers go wild" videos.
No- just use as a space heater, winter's coming.
Cool, between my AppleTV and my PS-3, I should be nice and cozy this winter.
As good as these machines are, I doubt that they will do much to increase sales for the industry as a whole (maybe just for apple) as it seems that most PC users are now firmly entranched in their NETboxes that run XP and can't play a cd and have screens the size of an iPhone, and are dirt cheap. (Net desktops of course can come with any size screen)
If these trends continue there won't be much of a desktop industry left, aside from maybe geeks and AutoCaders.
Yes! I think that the next big thing to motivate buyers of all stripes will be the Tablet. I hope it gets announced soon for delivery by XMAS, and interfaces with the new iMacs as a co-peripheral (each is a peripheral to the other).
*
What happened to your Western Digital love of 2 minutes ago?
Nothing. I love my WD. But i also think AppleTV has insane potential and that Apple will exploit that very soon.
Cool, between my AppleTV and my PS-3, I should be nice and cozy this winter.
You should consider an XBox, to get some hot-air movement with audio feedback to verify it is running
You should consider an XBox, to get some hot-air movement with audio feedback to verify it is running
Mmmm... the biggest shopping day of the year, historically, is the Saturday after Thanksgiving-- November 28, this year.
I believe the Saturday preceding Christmas is actually the biggest shopping day of the year, at least in terms of sales, if not also bodies through the doors.
I also question how long the apparent preference for laptops will continue. Mine has sat at home nearly 100% of the time, and since I got an iPhone, completely 100% of the time. (Of course, if work provided me with a MBP, that might be different.) My next system will very likely be a 27" iMac because it doesn't seem to make sense to pay more for a much smaller screen, slower CPU, smaller HD, less RAM, and a portability that I'm unlikely to use, especially with a computer that fits in my pocket and doesn't require me to haul it around in its own bag. (And, of course, I'll still have the old one should I ever really need it.) Maybe my thoughts on this are completely at odds with most of the buying public, but I can't help wondering what the "next" system will be for all the people who are buying laptops (Mac and non-Mac) now.
I find it difficult to understand why notebooks are taking over the market when many of them never leave the house.
It seems even more strange for enterprises to equip everyone with a notebook when most employees never leave their desks except for food and smoke breaks. Surely most admin staff would be more efficient with larger displays and full size keyboards at correct ergonomic heights.
Most organizations can't be too concerned about security either because notebooks get stolen from both inside and outside their premises far more often desktops ever did. Data loss is usually far worse than the loss of the equipment itself.
At my company people in supervisory roles are issued notebooks, but everyone else gets an iMac or mini. Most staff need nothing more than a pen and notebook at meetings and aren't permitted to take any equipment out of the office.
The growing prevalence of smartphones may slow the trend toward notebooks because people will have all the portable capabilities they need in the palm of their hand. I certainly consider a desktop plus a handheld the best possible combination for me.
I'd buy a small desktop, something like a modern day Cube, because I like to choose my screen. Up till now that's been CRTs but I understand that with IPS flat screens have just about caught up with 10 year old CRT tech, other than spending 15K on a top end Eizo.
I need a new Mac and I guess it'll have to be a mini, I'm also considering a MacBook running like a mini with KVM. iMacs would be more of an option if the screens were able to be used independently, yes the new top end can and it's about time but it's the only one. My experience is that screens last about twice as long as computers, this being typed with a 12 year old Apple display (with Trinitron screen) whilst awaiting a delivery of a (shudder) Dell IPS flat screen, two other ancient but excellent CRTs having expired recently.
Also need a KB with numeric pad, buy a lot online, always typing CC numbers, SKU, DOB, telephone :-)
I don't see a Cube being limited to desktop applications, HTPC and server come to mind. I think Apple's new mini server was a well judged move and will gain traction but that's a smaller market than that I envisage with a cube. I also see more new Cube users than cannibalization of existing products plus upselling from minis..
And as anonymouse said earlier, as portables get smaller (iPhones) and laptops mostly stay sat on the desk at home maybe the desktop has a revival in store.
.
At this price point, with the Magic Mouse and the wireless keyboard, the iMac is more and more starting to look like a computing tv replacement...
If there's a future for the iMac, that's it. In the living room instead of your desk Problem is its currently missing the TV part. Add a TV tuner and some HDMI inputs and would sell like hotcakes.